The Mentalicus

The Reign of Nikolai I

Prehistory for us ended almost 1600 years ago. Some say the origins of our empire began with a rather disgusting process which will not be discussed here (if you're old enough, you understand what I mean). Anyway, it was then that our world came into form, with a king selected for us, and thus the nation began.

The king said he didn't know how, but his name was Nikolai. So we called him "King Nikolai." For three hundred years, the king ruled over a peaceful, untroubled realm. Then the memories began. They came to the king constantly and startled him awake at night. Some questioned whether he was going insane, and he did seem to slowly begin growing...darker. He kept to himself most of the time. He claimed to have memories of thievery, hatred, and bitter action.

The memories only worsened, and the king began to become outwardly hostile to others. He would shout and complain constantly. Some said he was possessed, though they did not know what the word meant (few were scholars in those days). Then came a man, claiming to be an advisor.

Now, Nikolai constantly spoke of a being called God. He did not know who "God" was, but later kings would come to learn it, so let us put that aside for now. Nikolai spoke of love, and war, and especially of death. Now, this is curious. You see, as of yet, no king has died naturally, and they have ruled for hundreds of years apiece (with recent exceptions), leading most to believe they might actually be immortal. Thus, while it seems rather absurd for a king to talk about death, talk about it Nikolai did, with his advisor, Josenius (as he called himself; we would later learn that he had a much less pleasant name).

Nikolai fell into greater darkness around the time of the fifth "birthday," a festival 100 days long that occurs once every 100 years. He refused to speak to anyone but Josenius, and many believed he had finally lost his mind. He only appeared to the public twice during the period of the festival. This was unlike the king we had known beforehand, and many believed ill would come of it.

The king began feeling ill around 735 years after history began. Few doubted that he was struggling inwardly, and Josenius only was allowed at his bedside. When the "advisor" was asked about Nikolai's condition, he merely replied that, "God is upon him." Now, this would have been for the best, as we learned later, but we believed that Josenius had been in power too long. After eight years of this illness, a new leader rose: Nikolai Peshnirev. He had come from a humble family, and was poor, but he was large, and he was smart, and he loved this "God" being that was apparently attacking Nikolai I. Josenius was cast out of the palace, and a "church" was built. This "church" was a place of worship, where people went to learn about God. Nikolai I died at age 743 in his bed, when Peshnirev slit his throat. So began the reign of Nikolai II.